American Gnosis Political Religion and Transcendence

The Greek word "gnosis," defined as direct spiritual knowledge or insight, has its origins in historical offshoots of Christianity in late antiquity. But the terms “Gnosticism” and “gnosis” have become widespread in many other contexts. They are common in contemporary scholarship on religion and in popular usage among magical, religious, and spiritual practitioners. And they have entered popular usage in contemporary society, with applications in numerous political, religious, and cultural contexts. Gnosis and Gnosticism have become leitmotifs in popular culture, in films such as The Matrix and Dark City, as well as in anime and other popular art forms.

In American Gnosis, Arthur Versluis explores the fascinating connection between the Gnostic tradition and contemporary American spirituality, politics, and popular media. Versluis surveys themes of Gnosticism and gnosis in American culture, both within the United States and in global contexts. Versluis shows that gnosis is key to understanding a wide spectrum of global syncretic religious and intellectual movements-some sensational, even wild, but all fascinating. American gnosis, he argues, is a defining feature of hybrid new religious forms in the twenty-first century.

Versluis provides case studies of major contemporary figures and texts that are emblematic of neo-gnosticism, offering a comprehensive framework of gnosis and an understanding of gnostic trends in modernity. He explores how neo-gnostic memes recur in social media and shows how American gnosis has manifested as spiritual independence, reflecting the ever-growing demographic category “spiritual but not religious.” In delving into the intersection of contemporary American spirituality, politics, and literature, American Gnosis uncovers the remarkable prevalence of neo-gnostic elements today.

Arthur Versluis is Professor of Religious Studies at Michigan State University. He has published numerous articles and books on the intersection of religion, the humanities, and politics. He is the editor of JSR: Journal for the Study of Radicalism and serves as president of Hieros Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to understanding the sacred.

Introduction
Chapter One: What is Neo-Gnosticism and What is Gnosis?
Chapter Two: Neo-Gnostic American Literature
Chapter Three: Neo-Gnostic Video
Chapter Four: The Neo-Gnosticism of Miguel Serrano
Chapter Five: The Neo-Gnosticism of Samael Aun Weor
Chapter Six: The Enigmatic Dr. Musès
Chapter Seven: Psychedelic Gnosis
Chapter Eight: American Archontic Neo-Gnosticism
Chapter Nine: Understanding American Gnoses
Chapter Ten: Political Religion and the End of Modernity
Chapter Eleven: Future Gnosis
Chapter Twelve: Conclusions
Index
Bibliography